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On a more juicier note...
Do we really get out there and tautoko (support) one another in all things? When there is a hui, event, fundraiser for a
worthy cause etc do we get up and show our strength in numbers as a force to be reckoned with or is it a matter of 'Put up or shut up?' One could assume that we are a 'tight bunch' regardless where on Papatuanuku we reside, but if you look under the mat, that can become questionable - sadly one need not even look there to find evidence. No culture is immune.
In a recent hui held by a group of whanau and friends, everything went to plan as well as could be anticipated, great interest was shown leading up to the hui and attendance by all on the day was beyond expectations. The agenda flowed with an attentive audience with all learning what was available and supporting the reason of this particular hui. The buffet was superb, "Fit for a King!" some were told. The harmonics of the day embraced by all.
Towards the end of the day with just an hour left to go, late arrivals joined another attendee and decided that they had all rights to set the record straight, whatever that is?! And with an outburst, they did nothing short of humiliating themselves in front of everyone who had actively participated throughout the day. Why do we assume we know what is going on? How is it that we can miss 99% of the agenda, arrive and then continue to shoot off the hip with raised voices and think that that is ok? What rights are given to pick apart other attendees without just cause? Demand this and that without even knowing prior what exactly was presented throughout the day?
Commanding respect rather than earning it with such behavior is not acceptable regardless how long one has been 'out there', it is a disgrace unto those who display such. When Kaumatua say, "Sit down" then one ought to be respectful and do just that, sit down. But no, some people seem to think that it is ok to continue with their outburst. It is a shame that a select few have put themselves so high up the ladder in the Community that they see it as their right to act as they see fit. What good is there to deliberately sabotage a hui that was put together for the GOOD of the greater Community? Really? What is the intent? To cry foul? To demand that it should of been done a particular way or at a specific venue..? To demand permission to even hold any such hui, is just downright rediculous. Why bother turning up in the first place?
There is a time and a place to debate, to question, to discuss openly and freely when the hui calls for such and yet other times we can learn by listening with all senses tuned in. When the senses are turned off, people get ahead of themselves and fall into the hole they dug single-handidly. What a shame. So if one has no intent to tautoko the cause, why not let it be - in the hands of those who really do care? If we are going to attend a hui, let us have the courtesy to know what it is about in advance of attending, listen carefully, be mindful, respectful and know if the hui has an agenda for open debate then and only then debate and by sticking to the agenda we can move forward, otherwise be prepared to take the consequence of your actions. It reflects on no one but thine-self. There lacks the true ability to tautoko.
When we truly come together and tautoko one another we can move mountains.
Is there such a thing? A set of rules and strict guidelines to how each person conducts themselves in online forums, aka Online Communities regardless if they are made public or private? Who is/are responsible to ensuring that these guidelines are adhered too? When we are in online forums do ethics, integrity come into play? Can we slander others, discriminate, be biased etc and think we can get away with it? Do we really need a global Public Forums Act, seeing that Online Communities are often made up of people from around the world?
Many questions with just as many open-ended answers...
Unless your website is an Organisation aka .org and dependant on the country one resides in with that Domain Name, aka .org.nz - then there in fact exist strict guidelines that both the Webmasters and Members must abide by. Not doing so can result in Members being banned and in other cases the Owners of the website being heavily reprimanded and/or worse, having the website shut down. Yes it can and does happen. Legal Action can be carried out. It is foolhardy to think otherwise. Gone are the days when the Internet was a place where one could of gotten away with murder!
Just because one is online and 'appearing' to be obscure and hidden from being seen, does not mean one can get away with discrimination and abuse etc. It is a well known fact that everything one types on their keyboard, downloaded, uploaded and/or installed into their computer is retrievable - evidence, no matter if you reformat your computer!
Forever in a day, many people join forums and conduct themselves in a manner in which they would not otherwise if they were in a public (face to face) forum. After all, we can be anything we want when we are online can't we? No one will ever know who we are behind our handles (online usernames)? We can be as obnoxious, arrogant, ignorant, shameless with no inhibitions, be rude, aggressive, insulting, demeaning... pull off major power-plays, make out we are above others by talking down on them... but then again, we all know people like that in 'real life' don't we?
Apparently in Online Forums, we also have the right to judge others harshly, critically and with the utmost condemnation to destroy people we have NEVER met in real life, but thats ok, its online, we will never meet them in real life, so shred all you like with total disregard and you'll hopefully get away with it, heaven forbid if you happen to meet up one day further along in the road called life! Ya never know when you might just bump into their whanau or friends, foolish again to think that that would not ever happen?!
In all forums, there exist those that know better, those that are so far removed from the sense of humanity that no signs of empathy could possibly exist in their bones. Its one thing to have an opinion, to openly debate, but to threaten, to intimidate, to discredit, to slander and discriminate is inexcusable behavior. And when Webmasters of said websites allow such to continue without taking immediate action against members then they are in line of being held accountable, though that surely does not excuse those who carry on with said behavior to not be made fully responsible, as they should be and ultimately will be, the universe has a remarkable manner in going full circle.
There is no place for this in society, do it face to face and the consequences will undoubtedly unfold, so be it online. One cannot deny what they feel unless of course empathy is non-existent!
We need only visit a few forums to see everything that is mentioned above is ruined by yet again a select few who are intent on destroying others. Many a great cause exist, they are built on the foundations of many a devoted person, there are no gold medals for a lack of ethics, morals, courtesy, respect, honesty and integrity - aka mana-dry!
Where an Online Forum is not an .org, many Webmasters have been around
the block and have learned through experience to create "Forum
Guidelines" for warranted reason, they know all to well that as there
are 'Riff-raff' out there, so to are they 'in here'. People who are
intent in turning otherwise well run forums into a 'thrash and bash'
place, where they appear to get nothing but sick joy in bringing others
down, again generally people they have not ever met. The end result of such
intolerable behavior is that these forums end up getting shut down and
everyone misses out, now what is the good in that?
Moral of the above stories, be it kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face) or in an Online Forum, when gathering with others for whatever the cause or discussion, sharing, learning and growing together, making new found friendships they were called Online Communities for good reason, to come together with shared values, likeminds etc, often to tautoko one another.
Oh la la! How life has a most uncanny way in which to teach us lessons! Just when you think its save to have your 'trust' guard down, think again! If you have not had the joy of dealing with the media, be prepared, in speaking to a few friends who have been down this road prior, we learnt that we were not alone in our experience.
When your told by a Reporter, to get you primed and relaxed for an interview you will be asked some random questions and rest assured no filming or recording is being carried out, well think again on that one too. If you demand that this is 'strictly off the record', believe us when we say, "only in the movies!"
Film Editing is quite an art, and you don't realize just how masterful it is until you find several questions and answers have been manipulated, twisted turned cut and pasted in such a remarkable manner that it appears you have said something that you, well, didn't! BUT when on air, you obviously did. Try explaining yourself to a nation of people who take what they see and hear on TV or Radio as just that, it is what it is - isn't it?
Ah well, too late! Its a done deed and you cannot turn the clock back, no matter how crushed, stunned, shocked you, whanau and friends may have reacted with, you have to bite the bullet. No one outside of your immediate circle is going to bother to listen anyway, because they have clearly made up their minds, 'To judge or not too!' becomes hotly obvious under these circumstances.
Media have one goal, to generate ratings, the higher the better, the more controversial, the likelihood of the ratings shooting up. If you sense prior to any interview of a potential outcome, trust your instincts or rest assured it will be confirmed upon the story going live, too late to kick yourself. Gullibility plays a staring role none the less.
As with all the above situations, we certainly can learn from lives experiences, take the lesson onboard, use wisdom to embrace the teachings and walk gracefully with that knowledge at hand and don't waste your time trying to justify your actions to others who really could care less. You could give a run down of your life and circumstances, be honest and frank and it won't make one iota of a difference, people's minds are too often like concrete, once its set its hard to break through it!
On another note, yet along these lines somewhat...
More than often the Media like to portray as negative an aspect as they possibly can in regards to Maori
and what we apparently are all doing wrong, not possible for any other culture to step up and deliver with equal power?
Maori really do make for good news, which creates the defense mechanism to kick in naturally without effort. After all, when negative stories are consistently aired, its only natural that those who listen and watch such take it as kosher, often without even questioning the media's intent!
Not so long ago whanau were questioned to why do they believe the rubbish shown on TV and heard on the radio? Did they not think for a minute to delve deeper, find out first hand where possible if any of it is substantiated, verifiable before running with it? Do the research, get involved, learn, open your eyes, expand your minds, whatever you want to call it, get out of the 'thinking inside the square', don't be 'lambs to the slaughter house'...
Will Maori ever really get the opportunity to express themselves in a manner which is not going to be turned inside and out, shot down and buried before the truth has the chance to be known? Will our side of the story ever really be known? Will Maori media be able to tell it the way it is, have greater control with the interviews being conducted and the stories going to air? Can we be leaders in truthful media built with integrity? Sure we can!
There are many inspiring and positive stories happening out there, as to our side of the story needing to be told, even if it appears under negative circumstances, they are worthy of being told, 'from the horses mouths' but alas in saying this, many are too scared to speak up in case of retribution and that all to feared public condemnation and ridicule. Not to forget, if your Maori and you do so, you are an activist and we all know that that is something to be frowned upon, apparently.
Maori Media is really still in its infant stage, imagine when it really steps up and talks?! That won't happen unless it owns the right to control its path - solely, outright - Hardcore!
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A day that features food and culture of the South Pacific and popular played sports will be on show to the community, as the Pacific Unity Festival returns to Tempe Reserve in Sydney, on Saturday, November 8.
